Peter Adamson | Coronation Street Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share Peter Adamson ( 16th February , 1930 - 17th January , 2002 ) was a British actor best known for his portrayal of the womanising hard man Len Fairclough in Coronation Street from 1961 to 1983 . He had made his theatre debut in 1948 and the year after joined the Fortesque Players in Bury . For five years he acted and produced weekly melodramas, forming his own company in 1954 and producing summer shows in Weston-Super-Mare. His initial television roles were for Granada in Skyport and Knight Errant before first appearing in Coronation Street in February 1961 . After twenty-two years of being one of the programme's most popular and recognisable performers, Peter's Street career was threatened by his arrest in April 1982 for allegedly indecently assaulting two 8-year old girls in a Lancashire swimming pool. Producer Bill Podmore stood by him, Granada supported his defence financially, and in July 1983 he was found not guilty.

However, Peter had been previously suspended by Podmore for writing articles and giving interviews to the press that criticised his fellow cast members, and the producer sacked Adamson for breach of contract after learning that he had sold his memoirs to a tabloid newspaper. Len Fairclough was killed off the programme in December 1983 in an off-screen car accident, and in a deliberate attempt to demonize the character played by the controversial Adamson, it was revealed that Len had died returning home from his mistress, cheating on screen wife Rita Fairclough . Peter Adamson had become a hard drinker, perhaps stemming from constant financial troubles, during his time on the Street, and was suspended from the programme over it in 1969 . Years after his sacking, Peter appeared to confess his guilt over the 1982 swimming pool incident in a rambling, possibly drunken, interview with a Sun reporter, although he always maintained that there was no sexual intent. Adamson's wife passed away in 1984 , and in 1991 he declared himself bankrupt, thanks in large part to high legal bills from his 1983 court case that Granada wouldn't pay after his sacking.

Peter died of stomach cancer in Lincoln in 2002 . Peter Adamson Peter Adamson Born: 16 February 1930, Liverpool Married: Jean, 20 December 1953 (d: 1984) Children: Died: 17 January 2002, Lincoln County Hospital, Lincoln, Lincs Played: Len Fairclough (1 February 1961 - Spring 1983) Every actor strives to bring something special and personal to each role they play, and sometimes when they play a long-established character, the boundary between actor and character becomes blurred. Peter Adamson was one such actor. Starting in episode 16, Peter played Len Fairclough, the Liverpudlian ex-Navy builder with a short temper, a pair of fists and a taste for beer - a character not unlike Peter Adamson Peter Adamson was born in Liverpool on 16 February 1930 and was educated at Gilmour School. He was the youngest of six children born to a tailor-shop owner and his wife.

After the war he began acting at the Wavertree Community Centre whilst training as an engraver at Toxteth Technical School. Peter graduated as an engraver in 1948 but then enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Drama. Peter refused to take his drama studies seriously so after two months he left. Peter then worked as a film extra before working at Sale Theatre in Cheshire. Later that year, Peter joined the Frank H Fortescue Players at Bury as a stage manager. On 20 December 1953 he married Jean, and they produced two sons Michael and Greig. Jean had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis from the age of 16. She was in constant pain and the arthritis was slowly crippling her. He was devoted to her, and perhaps because of the strain of caring for her, he turned to drink. In 1956 Peter made his television debut as a comedy host of a record show before working on the Granada TV shows Skyport and Knight Errant. In December 1960 he joined the newly born soap Coronation Street as builder Len Fairclough.

By the late 1960s he had a serious drink problem, although in February 1973 he managed to stop drinking, with the help of Alcoholic Anonymous. He often turned up on set after a binge, but on one occasion was so drunk he couldn't deliver his lines, and was later suspended by Granada. After this, he re-joined Alcoholics Anonymous and sought professional help. In the early 1983 he sold behind the scenes stories about co-stars Barbara Knox, Christopher Quinten, Doris Speed, Johnny Briggs, Bill Roache, Anne Kirkbride and Pat Phoenix to the Sun newspaper journalist Dan Slater. Granada is very conscious of Coronation Street's public image and closely controls all press contact. The articles put Adamson in breach of his contract, and the offence caused was all the worse as the articles contained unkind and damaging criticisms of the cast, its' production staff and the programme itself. As a result, Granada decided to suspend him for six weeks, but before it could take effect, he was engulfed by an altogether bigger incident.

In April 1983 the whole Coronation Street cast was shocked to read in the Sunday press that Adamson had been arrested, held overnight in police cells and then on 16 April 1983 charged with indecently assaulting two eight-year old girls in his local swimming baths in Haslingden, north of Manchester. His previous press articles hadn't won him any friends, and rumours abounded, especially as he often brought youngsters along to watch rehersals and he spent much of his spare time working for charities and often held swimming classes at local baths for small children. Peter's arrest prolonged the suspension which soon lapsed into unpaid. Peter was written out of the series to concentrate on his defence, and he approached Granada to see if they would help with what was a potentially enormous legal bill. As they were preparing to hand over a �10,000 loan cheque, Adamson admitted to management that the had signed another unauthorised contract to sell his memoirs to The Sun and The News of the World. The cheque was hastily withdrawn, and Producer Bill Podmore quickly organised a meeting, demanding that Peter give definite assurances that he would never again break Granada's house rules on press interviews.

He refused to give such an undertaking, and left the office. In the meantime, in August, Adamson's case went to Burnley Crown Court. The basis of the police complaint was that Adamson's hands had strayed whilst giving the girls swimming lessons. The jury found him not guilty. Soon afterwards, his second series of press articles appeared, containing much vitriol towards The Street, saying how he felt let down by his Coronation Street bosses after he had given 23 years loyal service.. His fate was sealed and his contract wasn't renewed. Much play was made of his sacking in the wake of the trial, but he was dismissed simply for breach of contract. Granada can be very unforgiving on actors who turn against them, and it was obvious that there would be no possibilty that Adamson could return sometime in the future. Len Fairclough was killed off in a motorway crash, and to turn the viewers against him, he was returning from seeing his secret lover. The next morning Adamson appeared on TV-am dressed in top hat and undertaker's suit, delivering a obituary for Len. His divorce from Granada was complete.

Peter and his wife Jean then went missing but were tracked down by the media in Bali and on their return to England, Peter joined Hayley Mills and Simon Ward at the Vanderville Theatre, London in the thriller Dial M For Murder, playing Inspector Hubbard, from 31 October 1983 and continuing through at least December of that year. Peter remained in the public eye and sold further stories to national tabloids. The following year, Jean underwent several operations but passed away. Peter overcame his grief by travelling England in a caravan, then moving to Canada with a hope of a new career. He had had little luck in finding work in the UK after Coronation Street, in some measure because of having been typecast as Len Fairclough, but also partly due to the court case. This was only a pipe dream as after just a few jobs he returned to England and moved in with his son in Lincolnshire. He received unemployment benefit for a while before retiring from acting. He ended his life living alone in a housing association flat in Welton, Lincolnshire, a self-confessed bankrupt alcoholic.

Obitury from The Daily Telegraph, 21 January 2002 PETER ADAMSON, the actor who has died aged 71, achieved fame as Len Fairclough in Coronation Street, and notoriety after being tried for indecent assault on two eight-year-old girls in a public baths. Although Adamson was acquitted of the charges, he subsequently gave a drink-inspired interview to a reporter on the Sun, during which he both acknowledged and denied that he had been guilty. He had also sold behind-the-scenes accounts of life on "The Street", and was written out of the series. Although he had, almost from Coronation Street's beginning, been one of the programme's most popular characters, his exit was devised to ensure no sympathy from the viewers, when he died in a motor crash after visiting his mistress. Peter Adamson was born at Allerton, Liverpool, on February 16 1930, the youngest of six children of the manager of a gentlemen's outfitters.

He left school aged 14 to take a job in a solicitor's office, from which he was sacked for drumming on his desk with pens and an inkwell; he then indulged his passion for stationery by working as a commercial artist. After his mother persuaded him to take part in a community play when he was 17, Adamson moved to London in 1948 and enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He left after only two months, though, and returned north to join a theatre at Sale, Cheshire, before spending five years in repertory with the Fortescue Players at Bury, Lancashire. He also set up his own rep company, acting in and producing plays and summer shows at Weston-super-Mare, in Somerset. By the time Adamson was 21, he had already appeared in the West End, and made his television debut in 1956 on an ITV variety show. He followed it up with appearances in the Granada dramas Skyport and Knight Errant. When Granada was planning Coronation Street, Adamson applied for the roles of Dennis Tanner and Ken Barlow, but was offered instead the part of Len Fairclough.

He made his first appearance two months after the programme began, on a 12-episode contact with a salary of �10 a week, before joining the cast full-time. It was to be a busy 23 years for Adamson's character. Len Fairclough was a regular drinker in the Rover's Return for seven years before moving into No 9 Coronation Street in 1968. He was a builder in partnership with Ray Langton, and had at first been married to Nellie Briggs, but when she left him - and after his affairs with Maggie Clegg, Anita Reynolds and Bet Lynch - he married Rita Littlewood in 1977, and they built up The Kabin Newsagent's business together. They fostered Sharon (who later tried to do Rita out of the business). During his second marriage, Len had affairs with Elsie Tanner, Janet Reid and, finally, Marjorie Procter. It was returning from her house that he had his fatal motor accident in 1983. Adamson, meanwhile, had been living the high life as one of the country's best-known actors.

His initial salary after joining the cast of the Street was �10,000 a year - a huge sum in the early 1960s - and he could quickly double his income with personal appearances. He began to drink heavily, and by the late 1960s, owed tens of thousands of pounds to the Inland Revenue. His drinking led to his being suspended from the programme early in 1969. He gave up drink and settled down, although he continued to face financial difficulties. But in February 1983, Adamson was suspended from the show after selling stories to a tabloid newspaper. He was reinstated, but soon faced worse problems, when he was charged with indecent assault on two eight-year-old girls in a swimming pool, at which he had assisted as a part-time instructor. The trial, at Burnley Crown Court, inevitably attracted the interest of the tabloids, which reported it in lurid detail. But Adamson had recruited the services of George Carman - whose expertise in the defence of celebrities was already evident. Adamson was acquitted but was left with an enormous legal bill.

After prevaricating, Adamson decided to pay the bill by returning to the tabloids with more tales from Coronation Street, and was sacked for breach of contract. Soon afterwards, his wife, whom he had met while in rep and who had long suffered from chronic arthritis, died. Although he had some acting work on radio, and in a West End production of Dial M for Murder, Adamson returned to the bottle, and, in a rambling account of the trial given to a Sun reporter, appeared to admit his guilt. "I am totally guilty of everything the police said," he said. "But what I hope you will print - there was no sexual intent." He attempted to begin again in Canada, but soon returned to Britain. He played Sir Tunbelly Clumsy in Vanburgh's The Relapse in 1988, but could secure little other work. He was declared bankrupt in 1991, and spent his last years in a rented flat in Welton, Lincolnshire, where he was occasionally visited by tabloid reporters writing about his fall from fame and fortune. Adamson's wife Jean died in 1984. They had two sons.

Peter Adamson - Telegraph Peter Adamson 12:01AM GMT 21 Jan 2002 PETER ADAMSON, the actor who has died aged 71, achieved fame as Len Fairclough in Coronation Street, and notoriety after being tried for indecent assault on two eight-year-old girls in a public baths. Although Adamson was acquitted of the charges, he subsequently gave a drink-inspired interview to a reporter on the Sun, during which he both acknowledged and denied that he had been guilty. He had also sold behind-the-scenes accounts of life on "The Street", and was written out of the series. Although he had, almost from Coronation Street's beginning, been one of the programme's most popular characters, his exit was devised to ensure no sympathy from the viewers, when he died in a motor crash after visiting his mistress. Peter Adamson was born at Allerton, Liverpool, on February 16 1930, the youngest of six children of the manager of a gentlemen's outfitters.

He left school aged 14 to take a job in a solicitor's office, from which he was sacked for drumming on his desk with pens and an inkwell; he then indulged his passion for stationery by working as a commercial artist. Related Articles Anne Kirkbride 20 Jan 2015 After his mother persuaded him to take part in a community play when he was 17, Adamson moved to London in 1948 and enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He left after only two months, though, and returned north to join a theatre at Sale, Cheshire, before spending five years in repertory with the Fortescue Players at Bury, Lancashire. He also set up his own rep company, acting in and producing plays and summer shows at Weston-super-Mare, in Somerset. By the time Adamson was 21, he had already appeared in the West End, and made his television debut in 1956 on an ITV variety show. He followed it up with appearances in the Granada dramas Skyport and Knight Errant.

When Granada was planning Coronation Street, Adamson applied for the roles of Dennis Tanner and Ken Barlow, but was offered instead the part of Len Fairclough. He made his first appearance two months after the programme began, on a 12-episode contact with a salary of £10 a week, before joining the cast full-time. It was to be a busy 23 years for Adamson's character. Len Fairclough was a regular drinker in the Rover's Return for seven years before moving into No 9 Coronation Street in 1968. He was a builder in partnership with Ray Langton, and had at first been married to Nellie Briggs, but when she left him - and after his affairs with Maggie Clegg, Anita Reynolds and Bet Lynch - he married Rita Littlewood in 1977, and they built up The Kabin Newsagent's business together. They fostered Sharon (who later tried to do Rita out of the business). During his second marriage, Len had affairs with Elsie Tanner, Janet Reid and, finally, Marjorie Procter. It was returning from her house that he had his fatal motor accident in 1983.

Adamson, meanwhile, had been living the high life as one of the country's best-known actors. His initial salary after joining the cast of the Street was £10,000 a year - a huge sum in the early 1960s - and he could quickly double his income with personal appearances. He began to drink heavily, and by the late 1960s, owed tens of thousands of pounds to the Inland Revenue. His drinking led to his being suspended from the programme early in 1969. He gave up drink and settled down, although he continued to face financial difficulties. But in February 1983, Adamson was suspended from the show after selling stories to a tabloid newspaper. He was reinstated, but soon faced worse problems, when he was charged with indecent assault on two eight-year-old girls in a swimming pool, at which he had assisted as a part-time instructor. The trial, at Burnley Crown Court, inevitably attracted the interest of the tabloids, which reported it in lurid detail. But Adamson had recruited the services of George Carman - whose expertise in the defence of celebrities was already evident.

Adamson was acquitted but was left with an enormous legal bill. After prevaricating, Adamson decided to pay the bill by returning to the tabloids with more tales from Coronation Street, and was sacked for breach of contract. Soon afterwards, his wife, whom he had met while in rep and who had long suffered from chronic arthritis, died. Although he had some acting work on radio, and in a West End production of Dial M for Murder, Adamson returned to the bottle, and, in a rambling account of the trial given to a Sun reporter, appeared to admit his guilt. "I am totally guilty of everything the police said," he said. "But what I hope you will print - there was no sexual intent." He attempted to begin again in Canada, but soon returned to Britain. He played Sir Tunbelly Clumsy in Vanburgh's The Relapse in 1988, but could secure little other work. He was declared bankrupt in 1991, and spent his last years in a rented flat in Welton, Lincolnshire, where he was occasionally visited by tabloid reporters writing about his fall from fame and fortune. Adamson's wife Jean died in 1984.

They had two sons. Obituary: Peter Adamson | Media | The Guardian Peter Adamson Monday 21 January 2002 02.29 EST First published on Monday 21 January 2002 02.29 EST Share on Messenger Close The actor Peter Adamson, who has died of stomach cancer aged 71, became famous as the boozy, out-of-kilter builder Len Fairclough in television's Coronation Street - only to discover, during his 22-year stint, that reality was overtaking the fiction. His older brother Clifford was not alone in thinking that playing a "beer-swilling moron every day of his life" had triggered the alcohol problems that, in recent years, saw Adamson join Alcoholics Anonymous sessions in Manchester, before returning to the stage after an unhappy parting with Coronation Street's producers, Granada Television. Though his burly height, granite looks and north-country voice made him imposing casting for Fairclough, Adamson was, in fact, a pacifist and an opponent of prisons, flogging and capital punishment.

Originally, he auditioned for the part of a door-to-door insurance salesman when Coronation Street began in 1960, but, by the following February, the character had been dropped, and he emerged as Fairclough. Ten years after he joined the cast, Adamson was given extended leave because of his drink problems, but the Fairclough figure he played - slobbish, but not a totally detestable caricature - was popular with the public and the critics. Adamson helped bridge the gap between the Street's rough-diamond-but-sound opening years and the more morally ambiguous characters of its later years. The end of his soap-opera life came in 1983 after he was charged with indecently assaulting two young girls at a swimming pool. At the time, 23 children in the area had been taken into care and 23 parents arrested, but a policewoman on observation duty said Adamson had not misbehaved in any way, and he was acquitted. None the less, Granada would not renew his contract, and, three weeks later, his character was killed off.

It was an ignominious end to a career in which he had punched the ambitious Ken Barlow in the jaw; married Rita, then had a fiery affair with Elsie Tanner; been injured when a lorry crashed into the Rover's Return; and become a town councillor, only to lose his seat through being drunk and disorderly. Adamson was too much the professional to give up when Coronation Street disappeared from his life. Years earlier, he had won his boy scouts' entertainment badge, by which he was already an amateur actor who could do plausible impersonation. He had studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, won its gold medal for a male performer, and done impersonations for Thames Television. He met his wife, Jean Duncan, a regular theatre goer, while performing with the Fortesque Players in Bury, and there followed periods in repertory at Stockport and Weston-super-Mare, where, for five years, he was producer, writer and actor, before doing much the same thing at the Palace theatre, Sale - in both cases being regarded at his best as an actor. Though Coronation Street gave Adamson a good and secure living, he always had a sense that it came at a price.

On one occasion, he was on holiday in Gibraltar at the same time that a scrap-metal merchants' conference was beng held. The members insisted on buying him drinks he would not otherwise have had; afterwards, he complained of feeling "sozzled for the whole fortnight". Despite his acquittal in court, Adamson faced heavy legal bills, including some £52,000 due to his barrister, George Carman (obituary, January 3 2001). He sold his story to a tabloid newspaper to help meet these costs - thus triggering the further ire of Granada - and went to Canada, where he was in weekly repertory alternating between Toronto and Vancouver. Later, back in Britain, he appeared on the stage in Blackpool and Liverpool, where he was born, the son of a tailoring manager, but was ultimately reduced to living in a housing association flat in Lincoln. Adamson had two sons, Greg and Michael: the latter works under the stage name of Richard Harding. Jean, the victim of severe rheumatoid arthritis, died shortly after the court case.

· Peter Adamson, actor, born February 16 1930; died January 17 2002 BBC News | TV AND RADIO | Coronation Street star dies Sunday, 20 January, 2002, 08:21 GMT Coronation Street star dies Peter Adamson with Coronation Street co-star Pat Phoenix Former Coronation street actor Peter Adamson who played Len Fairclough in the soap has died aged 72. His character, who was in the series for 23 years, was best known for his affair with Elsie Tanner while married to his wife Rita. He died on Thursday from advanced stomach cancer, according to the Sunday People. In 1983, he was cleared of a charge of indecent assault on two girls at a public swimming pool. I just wish I could have said goodbye before he died Clifford Adamson But was sacked from the ITV show nearly 20 years ago when he sold his story to a newspaper. Script writers killed off his soap character by giving Len Fairclough a heart attack at the wheel of his car. His exit from the show was quickly followed by a decline in his personal fortunes.

A year after the trial his wife died and by 1991 he was bankrupt. He spent last few years of his life living in relative obscurity in a rented flat in Welton, Lincolnshire. A Coronation Street spokesman said: "We're sorry to hear of Peter's death and send our condolences to his family." Adamson was taken to Lincoln County Hospital with stomach pains but died from the advanced cancer, the People reports. His older brother Clifford said: "It was like a bolt from the blue. I just wish I could have said goodbye before he died." See also: Peter Adamson - Bio, Facts, Family | Famous Birthdays Peter Adamson Aquarius Named Peter#36 About Remembered for portraying the character of Len Fairclough in British soap "Coronation Street," a role he played for 22 years. Before Fame He attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Trivia Prior to his role on "Coronation Street," he appeared on Granada Television's "Skyport" and "Knight Errant Limited." Peter Adamson - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 4:34 PM, UTC NEWS Actor | Soundtrack Peter Adamson was born on February 16, 1930 in Liverpool, England. He was an actor, known for Coronation Street (1960), Violent Love (1967) and Coronation Street: First Dry Run (1960). He died on January 17, 2002 in Lincolnshire, England. See full bio » Born: a list of 29 people created 16 Aug 2013 Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of Peter Adamson's work have you seen? User Polls 1959 Knight Errant Limited (TV Series) Taxi Driver 1981 This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) Himself 1977 Look Who's Talking (TV Series) Himself - Interviewee - Peter Adamson (1977) ...

Himself - Interviewee 1972 Spectrum (TV Series documentary) Himself Personal Details Other Works: He acted in John Vanbrugh 's play, "The Relapse", at the Mermaid Theatre in London, England in a British Actors Theatre Company production with Kate O'Mara , Roy Marsden , Raymond Mason , Michael Thomas , Richard Heffer and Laura Cox in the cast. See more » Height: Did You Know? Trivia: In 1983 he was arrested for indecently assaulting two eight year old girls. It took place during a swimming lesson he was giving the girls at a Lancashire pool. It was alleged that his hand had slipped. He was found not guilty. Two months after being acquitted, he was sacked from his role as Len Fairclough in Coronation Street. The reason for this was breach of contract, after he sold behind the ...

See more » Trademark: Signed his photos "Be Good" Star Sign: Street's shamed Len Fairclough dies | Daily Mail Online Street's shamed Len Fairclough dies by AMANDA PERTHEN, Mail on Sunday Disgraced Coronation Street star Peter Adamson - who played womaniser Len Fairclough in the soap - has died a penniless recluse. The 72-year-old was one of Britain's most popular stars, but his career was ruined after he was accused of child abuse in 1983. The shamed TV star became withdrawn after the scandal, barely seeing anyone and when he died in Lincoln County Hospital he was alone. Adamson was understood to have been rushed into hospital three weeks ago suffering from stomach pains. Tests are believed to have revealed he had incurable stomach cancer. The overweight former alcoholic, who also suffered from arthritis, was given morphine to dull the pain, until his death last Thursday. A spokeswoman for Granada TV said: 'We heard about Peter's death from his brother Clifford, who rang to tell us. We had heard he was ill, but didn't know what was wrong.

'We're very sorry to hear of Peter's death and send our sincerest condolences to his family. 'Peter was one of the big stars of Coronation Street in his role as Len Fairclough.' A spokeswoman for Lincoln County Hospital said: 'I confirm that we did have a patient called Peter Adamson, who died last Thursday.' Adamson's bleak, lonely death is in stark contrast to the popularity he enjoyed as Len, a role he played for 23 years. Millions of viewers were fascinated as they watched him have a fiery affair with Elsie Tanner, played by Pat Phoenix, and managed to maintain his marriage with Rita (Barbara Knox). His fame brought him wealth, a lavish home, a cottage in Wales, a spectacular villa in Majorca and a range of cars he enjoyed being seen in. But his world crashed when he was accused of indecently assaulting two young girls at a public swimming pool. Despite being cleared, Street bosses decided to sack him after he sold his story to a newspaper for an estimated £110,000. Scriptwriters killed off Len by writing a dramatic scene in which he died of a heart attack while at the wheel of his car, leaving thousands of viewers devastated that his character had been dropped.

Shamed Adamson struggled to find work after the scandal and spent his last years living on benefits in a rundown one-bedroom flat in Welton, Lincolnshire. After the trial Adamson said: 'The jury exonerated me but I still feel sullied and dirty today. I am not a paedophile. I have four grandchildren I love dearly. But to some I am guilty.' Adamson seemed doomed to be forever tainted by the trial. A year after the court case his wife Jean, crippled by arthritis, died in his arms. As his depression deepened, his drinking increased, he developed osteoarthritis and had surgery for bowel cancer in 1990. He was forced to sell his homes as his debts increased. Finally, in 1991 he was made bankrupt with debts of £32,000. The pensioner was left penniless, shuffling to his local shops in slippers, buying cut-price food to save cash and hoarding away £5 a week towards his funeral. Last week his tormented life finally came to a sad end as he died alone in hospital with not a soul at his bedside and no fans even aware of his death.

The Scousers that shone on Coronation Street - looking back at the characters who made their mark in Weatherfield - Liverpool Echo What's On The Scousers that shone on Coronation Street - looking back at the characters who made their mark in Weatherfield As Mark Moraghan joins the cast of Coronation Street, we look back at the Merseyside actors who won the nation's hearts - and had us hiding behind the sofa Share Get What's On updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email As Mark Moraghan joins the cast of Coronation Street, we look back at the Merseyside actors who made their mark on Coronation Street Michael and Gale (C) ITV Michael Rodwell, played by Les Dennis 2014-present Garston actor Les Dennis made his first screen appearance on 24 March 2014. His arrival saw him break into one of the street’s households. First up he targeted Gail McIntyre’s (Helen Worth) house, pretending to be a gas man, who has come to the house to look at the “gas leak”.

He was revealed as a burglar and pushed Gail, causing her to fall over, and Kylie Platt (Paula Lane) chased him out of the street. Unexpectedly romance blossomed, and it is believed that Les has been asked to extend his contract. He has said: “I burgled Gail’s house and on the first day, they hadn’t told any of the crew or the gallery that it was me. I appeared at the window and the vision mixer said, ‘That’s Les Dennis!’. So it’s been one of those things where I’ve had to bring an audience round because so many people on Twitter were saying, ‘When are you going to do your Mavis impression in the Street?’ and then, ‘What’s he doing there?’ “It’s been a slow build, but it seems that audiences are beginning to like Michael.” As Michelle Connor [Kym Marsh] helps Steve McDonald [Simon Gregson] to his feet he finally breaks down admitting to Michelle there’s something seriously wrong with him and that the doctor reckons he’s suffering from depression.

Michelle Connor, played by Kym Marsh 2006-present Michelle first appeared when she successfully auditioned for a place in Vernon Tomlin’s band, and began working in the bar of the Rovers after the drummer landed her the job. Steve McDonald fell for Michelle instantly when she began working at the Rovers. Despite Steve’s feelings for her, Michelle was immediately disliked by his mother, pub landlady Liz McDonald. Michelle’s storylines have included a serious relationship with Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), discovering that her son had been swapped at birth, the death of her eldest brother Paul (Sean Gallagher), in 2007, and the murder of her other brother Liam (Rob James-Collier), in 2008. Other storylines have focused on the relationships with her sisters-in-laws, Carla (Alison King) and Maria Connor (Samia Ghadie), and her failed engagement to Ciaran McCarthy (Keith Duffy). It’s been a busy few years for the Whiston-born actress, with more set to follow.

After a pep talk from Sophie, Jenna Kamara [KRISSI BOHN] announces to Lloyd Mullaney [CRAIG CHARLES] that it's time she did something with her life and she going to do volunteer work overseas. Lloyd's gutted, will he be able to change her mind? in August 2014 Lloyd Mullaney, played by Craig Charles 2005-present Lloyd arrived on Coronation Street in June 2005 as a prospective driver and he and Claire Peacock got a month’s trial as taxi drivers at Street Cars. Soon after, Lloyd offered co-owner Dev Alahan £15,000 for his half of the cab firm, and Dev agreed to give it some thought. Dev eventually agreed to sell to Lloyd at a lower price. Lloyd has had numerous relationships over the years such as Kelly Crabtree, Liz McDonald, Teresa Bryant, Cheryl Gray and Mandy Kamara. He is currently dating Andrea Beckett. Coronation Street Alison King and Andrew Lancel Frank Foster, played by Andrew Lancel 2011-2012 He was the Street’s own Mr Nasty before an unfortunate incident with a whisky bottle.

Frank was played by Liverpool actor Andrew Lancel and introduced to Underworld to do a deal with Carla Connor. While there he took an interest in her assistants Michelle (played by fellow Merseysider Kym Marsh) and Maria Connor (Samia Smith). When trying to secure a deal, Carla sent Maria round to Frank’s house all glammed up hoping to make an offer. When Maria went round, they shared a few drinks on his sofa, and Frank forced himself on her believing he was onto something. When Carla discovered the death of her mother, Frank shared his sympathies with her, and they got together. Frank proposed to Carla in the pub, only to be turned down in front of everyone. She later accepted, although ended up jilting him the day before their wedding. When she confessed to loving Peter instead, he raped her. He spent a night in the cells while Carla received medical treatment. He was released on bail the following day and after provocation from Frank, Peter thumped him. When Carla lost a client due to a misunderstanding at a meeting, Frank got his mum Anne to take away half the machines and materials as he half owned the business so he could set up rival factory Foster’s.

When a struggling Carla had to make cuts, she got rid of a few staff members. Sally Webster was the first to turn to Frank for a job and other machinists soon followed. Frank later started a relationship with Sally. There’s a pattern developing here isn’t there? Frank was found not guilty of rape, but his mum was on to him. She confronted him, and during an argument, grabbed a bottle and hit Frank, causing him to fall down the stairs and die. The Morton Family Jerry Morton, played by Micky Starke 2007-2008 Jerry arrived in Coronation Street with his family in March 2007, moving in and opening a new takeaway shop on the street. He immediately clashed with next door neighbour Gail Platt as he was constantly playing his music and full volume. He relied heavily upon his eldest daughter Jodie to care for his younger children - Darryl, Mel, Kayleigh and Finlay - and to run his kebab shop for him, leading to her departure in November that year.

He began a romance with Eileen Grimshaw, which ended after several months when she told him she felt she was becoming a surrogate mother to his children, and had no desire to assume that role. Jerry suffered a heart attack in May 2008, prompting daughter Kayleigh to contact his estranged wife Teresa Bryant. Teresa moved in with the family, much to Mel’s displeasure, though swiftly began to outstay her welcome. In a bid to ensure Jerry would not force her to leave, she took control of his medication and began keeping him deliberately ill, forcing him to rely on her. By August 2008, Teresa’s tampering had taken its toll and Jerry collapsed, banging his head on the coffee table and almost dying in the process. Jerry left Coronation Street on 29 September 2008 with his younger children Kayleigh and Finlay bound for a new life in Spain. Jean Alexander as Hilda Ogden Hilda Ogden, played by Jean Alexander 1964-1987 Hilda was a national treasure. So is Jean, the Toxteth actress who brought her to life.

For much of her period as a character in the Street, Hilda worked as cleaner of the Rover’s Return Inn. A gossip and busy-body, many of her storylines were used for comedic purposes, though equally the character was used for dramatic effect; a scene in which she wept over the sight of her recently deceased husband’s spectacles has been hailed as one of the most moving images in television history. Actress Jean Alexander quit the role in 1987 after 23 years, but was persuaded to reprise the part in 1990 for a one-off appearance as part of an ITV Telethon. She has also been seen in a spin-off video in 1998, in which another long-running character, Betty Williams, visited her at her new home. Arguably the serial’s most popular character of all time, Hilda was voted the greatest TV character in a Radio Times poll of over 5,000 people. The trademark image of Hilda, wearing hair curlers and a head scarf, has inspired art and catwalk themes. Despite various producers expressing their desire to see the character return, actress Jean has said she will never to reprise the role of Hilda again.

Coronation Street: 1982 Len Fairclough (Peter Adamson), Rita Fairclough (Barbara Knox) and Sharon Gaskell (Tracie Bennett). Len Fairclough, played by Peter Adamson 1961–83 Len was from Liverpool and his parents were killed in the Blitz, after which Len joined the Merchant Navy. He was played by Allerton-born actor Peter Adamson. After de-mob, he came to Weatherfield, where he married Nellie and had a son Stanley (played by Peter Noone, later of the British pop group Herman’s Hermits). The marriage was not a happy one and on 22 November 1963, Nellie told him she wanted a divorce. A builder by profession, he also spent many years as an independent councillor for Weatherfield. Len’s idea of a real woman was his next door neighbour, Elsie Tanner: attractive, with a ribald sense of humour. Elsie always refused, not wanting to spoil the special bond they had. When Elsie re-married, to a handsome GI Master Sergeant Steve Tanner, Len was consumed with jealousy. When Steve was found dead in suspicious circumstances, Len was falsely accused of murdering him.

Len had reconciled himself to being on his own for the rest of his life — and then he met Rita Bates, who earned her living as a cabaret singer in the rather downmarket Gatsby Club. Although she claimed she was married to Harry Bates, they were in fact only a common-law couple; her name was actually Rita Littlewood. Len and Rita married and honeymooned in Tenerife, where Rita had a secured herself a singing job. The couple attempted to adopt a child, but were told they were too old. Instead, they fostered, first a boy called John, then, on a more long-term basis, Sharon Gaskell. Life seemed to be going well for the Faircloughs; they had two businesses, Len’s building Yard and The Kabin, a newsagents. Rita’s world came crashing down when Len fell asleep at the wheel of his van and collided with a motorway bridge. He was killed instantly. Geoffrey Hughes and Veronica Doran as Eddie Yeats and Marion Willis Eddie Yeats, played by Geoffrey Hughes 1974-1987 Eddie was an ex-convict-turned-binman who lodged at number 13 with Stan and Hilda Ogden for a time.

Born in Liverpool, Eddie was a jack of all trades, but never had a steady job - he made money from opportunistic thieving and selling on stolen or faulty goods, procured for him by any of his criminal friends, who like Eddie were in and out of prison. In 1974, he appeared in Coronation Street in parole from Walton Jail and convinced Minnie Caldwell, ex-landlady of his cellmate Jed Stone, to give him lodgings. He returned some months later a free man and made the Street his new home, give or take another stint in prison for handling stolen goods. In 1976, Eddie found lodgings at number 13 with the Ogdens after getting Hilda’s mural made for her. Eddie became the son the Ogdens never had, and beer-swilling Stan’s partner in crime, although Hilda didn’t let him live at number 13 permanently until he had a full-time job, which didn’t happen until he started working as a binman in 1980. In 1982, he met Marion Willis and they got married in 1983 before moving to Bury to care for Marion’s sick mother.

He last visited the Street in 1987, to see Hilda when she was attacked by burglars. Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent

Question: Peter Adamson played which character in Coronation Street?
Answer: Len Fairclough